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Philadelphia Cheesecake Bars

Creamy, Smooth and that undeniable cheesecake flavor, these Philadelphia Cheesecake Bars are an easy dump, mix and go dessert that you can have ready for a crowd, to give to friends or to enjoy yourself in literal minutes.

baking dish of cookies

Easy Philadelphia Cheesecake Bars

What’s not to love about anything with cream cheese? You love cheesecake, right? You’ll love these easy to make, throw it in and mix it up cheesecake bars!

  1. Crust Mixes Up With the Cake Mix – Yellow Cake Mix makes the perfect crust and it is so easy to simply mix it with the ingredients listed in the recipe and then layer it in the baking dish as a crust.
  2. Filling Whips Right Up in Minutes – Simply mix up the cream cheese with the other ingredients and pour it in. Then bake.

What Could Be Easier? Nothing!

You’ll be knocking socks off with this one and I bet there won’t be any left at all!

I mean, seriously, just LOOK at that crust!

edge of a philadelphia cheesecake bar

I could bite into the picture!

Here’s What You’ll Need:

ingredients on a table
  • Yellow Cake Mix – Mixes together with an egg and butter to form the crust. Yellow cake mix always lends a delicious easy flavor to recipes.
  • Eggs – Fluffs up both the crust and the filling!
  • Butter – gives a buttery deliciousness to the crust.
  • Vanilla – Flavor we all love for the filling.
  • Powdered Sugar – well, you know, because it’s sweet.
  • Cream Cheese – the star of the show.
  • Lemon Juice – brightens the flavor of the whole dish.

The Main Steps

  1. Mix Up The Crust – spread it in the baking dish.
  2. Mix up the Filling – pour it over the crust.
  3. Bake.

It REALLY IS THAT SIMPLE!

Tips and Tricks

  • This recipe is so easy that there are hardly any tricks to give you. I can tell you that you don’t even need to wash out the mixing bowl after you put the crust into the baking dish.
  • This dish “puffs” slightly when you cook it and so don’t be surprised if it sinks some after it is done. You haven’t done anything wrong and its still perfect!
  • Allow it to cool completely before cutting into it if you want clean edges when slicing. Otherwise, if you aren’t concerned about that, just dig right in!
  • For an extra special look, try dusting some powdered sugar over the top by sprinkling it with a fine strainer.
  • You can always add a little more flavor by drizzling the top with chocolate or by warming some of your favorite jam in a saucepan and drizzling that over the top.
  • Don’t go CRAZY with beating the filling because that can cause the cake bars to over puff and then crack the whole cake.
  • You Do NOT have to use philadelphia brand cream cheese, however, it is the most popular brand. I find that the Aldi brand is very good as well.
pan of cheesecake bars

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) About Philadelphia Cheesecake Bars

What’s the Difference Between New York Style and Philadelphia Style Cheesecake?

New York Style usually has a deeper cheesier flavor and Philadelphia style is a lighter flavor. Both are wonderful!

Is Cheesecake Made Of Cheese?

Sure is! Cheesecake typically features cream cheese. This recipe calls for Philadelphia style cream cheese.

Does This Recipe Need a Water Bath?

This recipe DOES NOT need a water bath, but many cheesecakes do.

cheese cake bar on a plate

If You Enjoyed This Dessert, You Might Also Enjoy…

Cookie Bars

Smores Cookie Bars

Nutter Butter Crispy Treats

Granny’s Sour Cream Cookies

Watch How To Make Philadelphia Cheesecake Bars…

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baking dish of cookies

Philadephia Cheesecake Bars

Creamy, decadent and that familiar cheesecake taste! Easy make philadelphia cheesecake bars are ready in minutes with almost NO work from you!
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: philadelphia cheesecake bars
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 219kcal

Ingredients

For the Crust

  • 1 box Yellow Cake Mix
  • 8 Tbs Butter

For the Filling

  • 1 lb powdered sugar
  • 2 eggs room temp
  • 8 oz cream cheese room temp
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbs lemon juice

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350
  • Prepare a 9×13 baking dish with baking spray

For the Crust

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together the cake mix, butter and 1 egg.
  • Spread the crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared 9×13 baking dish

For the Filling

  • In the same bowl, mix together the powdered sugar, 2 eggs, cream cheese, vanilla and lemon juice until there are no clumps. Use a whisk as the mixture becomes thinner.
  • Pour the filling over the top of the crust.
  • Place the entire baking dish into the oven on the center rack in the middle of the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes. The edges will be golden and you will see that a crust has formed when done.

Notes

  • You’ll want to use room temperature eggs because that will help make the crust and the filling spreadable.
  • When you mix up the filling, you may notice that it is slightly difficult to get the powdered sugar to mix in, use a whisk if you are having an issue with clumping. 
  • It’s fine to use margarine or a butter substitute. 
  • A low fat cream cheese or Neufchâtel is fine in place of cream cheese. 
  • After baking, the crust and the filling will not be so separate and will blend into one another. 
  • To add a little extra zing: drizzle with chocolate or with a warmed fruit jam. 
PRO TIP
  • Wait until completely cooled before slicing for clean edges. 

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Philadephia Cheesecake Bars
Amount Per Serving
Calories 219 Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 7g35%
Cholesterol 51mg17%
Sodium 105mg4%
Potassium 27mg1%
Carbohydrates 29g10%
Sugar 28g31%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 397IU8%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 19mg2%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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Wendi is the writer, CEO and dishwasher at Loaves and Dishes! When not in the kitchen or behind the computer, you can find Wendi serving on International Food Conference Boards, Speaking at various conferences, Leading and Cooking for the local Arts Council's "Taste of Stokes" events or donating home cooked goodies to various local non profits such as the Danbury Songwriters and Stokes Partnership for Children. Wendi is also a Registered Nurse with a Master's Degree and serves on her town's board of councilmen.

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Wendi J Spraker

Tuesday 20th of October 2020

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